Teens would rather give up television than smartphones

New research has found that teenagers would miss their mobile phones and the internet more than television if they were forced to go without.

A survey of more than 1,700 parents and children by media regulator Ofcom, found that 28 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds would miss their mobile phone the most, followed by 25 per cent who said the internet and 18 per cent who opted for television.

The spread of the internet through UK family homes was highlighted by the research. It found that 95 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds have access to the internet at home through a PC or a laptop. That's up from 89 per cent in 2010 and 77 per cent in 2007.

But despite the undeniable impact that smartphones and the internet have had on people's lives, television viewing is still growing, with children watching more programmes than ever before. Ofcom found that almost half (48 per cent) of five to seven year-olds would miss television the most, and that 95 per cent of youngsters in this age group watch programmes every day.